PHRASEOLOGY REFERENCE CLRNC TO ENTER THE TCA.

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AS A CHIEF PLT FOR STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY; I FLY THE STATE'S SMT INTO DCA WITH REGULAR FREQUENCY. USUALLY I FILE IFR FOR THE TRIP; BUT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF SOME EXCELLENT VFR WX THIS SUMMER; I FLEW DIRECT ON THE MOST RECENT TRIP. AS USUAL; WHEN APCHING FROM THE NE OVER THE KENTON VOR; WE ARE HANDED OFF TO BWI APCH CTL. AT 50 MI FROM THE DCA TCA BOUNDARY I INITIATED A REQUEST FOR THE TCA PENETRATION FOR A LNDG AT DCA. THE REPLY I RECEIVED WAS 'CONTINUE;' FROM THE BWI APCH CTLR. MY COPLT AND I DISCUSSED THE TERM 'CONTINUE' AS PROBABLY MEANING THAT SINCE THE BWI CTLR DIDN'T OWN THE DCA TCA AIRSPACE; HE WOULD GET THE APPROVAL FROM DCA ON THE PHONE LINE AND THEN RELAY THE APPROVAL TO US BEFORE ENTERING THE TCA'S AIRSPACE; WHICH WOULD BE 15 MI FROM ANDREWS AFB; DME FLYING AT BETTER THAN 3 MI/MIN; IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG TO COVER THE DISTANCE TO WHERE THE ENTRY APPROVAL IS REQUIRED. AGAIN; I INQUIRED AS TO OUR REQUEST FOR TCA PENETRATION AT 22 MI AND WAS TOLD TO 'CONTINUE.' AT 17 MI FROM ANDREWS; I ASKED; 'NOT TO BELABOR THE POINT; DO I HAVE APPROVAL TO ENTER THE TCA OR NOT; YES OR NO?' THE REPLY FROM THE CTLR WAS A 'CONTACT WASHINGTON APCH.' BY THIS TIME I WAS INTO THE TCA AND NOT REALLY SURE IF I HAD AN APPROVAL OR NOT. WHAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT IF WE NEED TO GET APPROVAL TO ENTER THE TCA AND THE RESPONSE FROM THE CTLR IS TO BE 'YOU ARE CLRED INTO THE TCA;' AND ALL I RECEIVE IS A 'CONTINUE;' AND A VIOLATION IS ISSUED OR SOME FORM OF COM ERROR IS NOTED; THEN THE SYS ISN'T PROVIDING THE SAFETY IT IS INTENDED. AS A MATTER OF FACT; ON A VFR FLT FROM CONCORD; NH; TO PROVIDENCE; RI; AT 4500' IN THE SMT; I REQUESTED FROM BOS APCH TO ENTER THE OUTER RING OF THE BOS TCA; AND THE REPLY I RECEIVED WAS 'CONTINUE ON COURSE.' I SUPPOSE THAT IS AN APPROVAL TOO?!! I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION WHILE ON THE SUBJECT AND NOT TO 'CONTINUE' A QUESTIONABLE SUBJECT; I HAVE NEVER BEEN ALLOWED TO ENTER THE NY TCA AT ANY TCA ALT IF I WASN'T LNDG AT ONE OF THE PRIMARY ARPTS. NY JUST SAYS NO.